


Promise

by realmSpinner



Category: Tales of Xillia
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-23
Updated: 2015-11-23
Packaged: 2018-05-02 23:40:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5268227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/realmSpinner/pseuds/realmSpinner
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alvin gets Jude a promise ring.  ... really, it's just a promise ring!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Promise

"Look, I know I haven't been very reliable in the past-"

"That's an understatement."

"-and our lives are hectic right now with our jobs-"

"Still can't believe you disappeared for nearly half a year that one time."

"-but I want you to know that you're always on my mind. I.. wanted to give you this, as a pro-"

"What the heck, aren't you supposed to be down on one knee?"

"URGH," Alvin groaned, throwing his hands up in the air. "Aren't you supposed to be helping me, not hounding me?!"

They were both standing in Leia's new apartment, surrounded by piles of papers filled with scribbles of 'the next top story'. Alvin wasn't the slightest bit surprised when he walked in to visit, cautiously stepping around the papers to stand in an empty area in front of the couch. Stepping on any of Leia's 'important' information was surely going to land him a deaf ear or two.

The owner of the house stood in front of him, green eyes flashing in defiance. He watched as she crossed her arms and tilted her head up just slightly.

"I AM being helpful! Who proposes to someone without going down on one knee? I'm insulted!" Leia responded.

"Good thing I'm not proposing to YOU, then, isn't it?" Alvin snipped. He held up the gold-colored ring in his hand and pointed at it. "In fact, I'm not proposing to anyone! This is a promise ring!"

"Same dif," Leia said, waving her hand in the air carelessly. "You know you'd want to see Jude in a wedding dress."

"... that is a good visual," Alvin admitted, eyes skirting to the side as he pondered.

"Pervert," Leia smirked. Defeated, Alvin threw himself on a nearby couch and sighed.

"What am I even doing?" Alvin groaned, hanging his head. Leia rolled her eyes at display, taking a seat next to his. 

"You're being ridiculous. There's no way Jude would reject you. If anything, he'd let you down super easily!"

"Because that makes me feel better."

Leia let out a short laugh.

"Just go give him the ring," Leia pushed, jabbing his arm with her elbow maybe a tad too hard and earning a glare for it. "And let him know I'm totally the best man."

"I'm not asking-"

"Him to marry you, yeah yeah," Leia cut him off. "If you aren't going down on one knee, you need to have some kind of style, so I got you something."

Alvin raised a brow as Leia stood and disappeared into a back room, only to return with a small blue box.

"What's that?"

"A ring box! Cute, isn't it?" Leia asked, showcasing the velvety outside. She put her hand out, and after a moment's hesitation, Alvin handed the ring over. Leia opened it, put the ring in, and snapped it shut. "See? Much better than just handing a ring over."

"Seems overly fancy to me," Alvin muttered, taking hold of the box and examining it. He was about to open the lid when Leia's hands wrapped around the box and his own.

"Trust me," Leia said, and Alvin was surprised at her sudden serious gaze. She squeezed his hands and smiled gently. "Jude will love it."

Alvin felt his cheeks flush and quickly took his hands away from her grasp.

"Thanks," Alvin said, feeling slightly awkward but extremely grateful. The butterflies were alive and well in his stomach as he made his way out of the house and to Jude's workplace.

\---

"Ah.. hey Alvin!" 

Alvin stood in the doorway of one of the many rooms belonging to the gigantic monstrosity that was Jude's workplace. Jude was inside with two others wearing similar white coats. Alvin had to squish himself to one side of the door frame when another scientist came bustling into the room.

"Looks like a busy time?" Alvin asked, a little unsure. Jude was scribbling something on a clipboard and looked up at him apologetically.

"Give me a few minutes. I just want to make sure I have all these calculations down," Jude replied. Alvin nodded, though Jude didn't even see it with how focused he was on his clipboard, and Alvin slipped out of the doorway and back into the hall. Leaning up against the wall, he took a deep breath, fingers fiddling with the box in his pocket. He tried to play over the script in his mind, but Leia's rebuttals kept coming back and making him cringe. 

A familiar voice sounded from down the hallway, and Alvin tensed. Whipping his head to the side, sure enough, Balan was coming down the hallway with another person. Cursing, Alvin quickly turned the corner and coasted down the stairs, unwilling to deal with any of Balan's teasing, especially if he found out what Alvin's intentions were. He'd never hear the end of it!

Cautiously staying at the foot of the steps, he waited.

"Alvin?" 

He almost made a dash for it, but quickly realized that was Jude's voice. Praying Balan had already left, Alvin climbed the stairs again. Jude looked confused upon seeing Alvin peek around the corner, and Alvin tried to brush it off by waving.

"I'm avoiding Balan," Alvin whispered, looking up and down the hall. Jude put a fist over his mouth to muffle a chuckle before stepping forward and taking one of Alvin's hands in his own. Alvin zeroed in on their interlocked fingers with fleeting surprise. No matter how small the gesture, it still threw him off-kilter to receive affection from the boy who turned his world upside down. Especially if it was in public.

"Let's go then, before he comes back around," Jude said, tugging the older man down the hall. They passed many people, some who didn't notice them at all, too focused on their own lives. A few, though, nodded their heads in hello, and some even glanced down at their joined hands. Alvin was glad he wasn't well-known to the people who worked here, other than some knowing he was Balan's cousin. Surely they would wonder why Jude was so close to someone who worked for Exodus. Alvin still wondered that himself. 

"Hard day?" Alvin guessed, making light conversation. He told himself he wasn't stalling. It was just customary small talk. It wasn't like he was about to propose- GIVE A PROMISE RING to Jude right in the middle of a busy hallway. Why did he go to Leia first, again? The woman was messing with his head. 

"Just a lot going on, like always. I think we made good progress today, though," Jude replied, always the optimist. His golden eyes turned up to Alvin. "What about you? When did  
you get in?"

They approached the front doors. Some people behind the front desk bid a farewell to Jude, and he waved back at them. Stepping outside, Jude shivered from the cold air.

"A couple hours ago. I stopped by Leia's because I knew you'd still be working," Alvin replied, shoving his free hand in his pocket in an attempt to keep it warm. His fingers bumped into the box and he looked up at the dull gray sky, absentmindedly wondering how long it'd be until they saw snow. "Looks like winter is coming early."

"Not the best time for your fruit sales."

"Not the best time not to have a coat," Alvin chided, glancing over Jude's form. "Seriously, why didn't you wear a jacket?"

"I was running a bit late this morning," Jude replied, looking embarrassed. Alvin smiled and broke their hands apart to bring his arm around Jude's shoulders, tugging him close.

"Good thing I'm here to warm you up, hm?" Alvin asked, leaning down and wiggling his eyebrows. Jude tried his best to look unimpressed, but a smile broke through. 

"I AM glad you're here," Jude replied earnestly, resting his hands on Alvin's chest and raising himself, just a bit, on his toes. Familiar with the move, Alvin slipped his arms around Jude's middle and leaned in to erase the last couple centimeters between them. His lips were noticeably warmer than the air around them and soft to the touch. Alvin sighed, relaxing into the kiss, tilting his head to the side to better fit against his lips. 

"Look at the honor student attacking me in public," Alvin said playfully as their lips parted, despite the tingling nerves alight in his chest.

"I'm not 'attacking' you," Jude argued, a dusting of red settling across the bridge of his nose. Alvin couldn't help but stare as he took a deep breath.

"I have something for you," Alvin said. It was a tad rushed, like the air had been knocked out of him, but he wanted to say something before he backed out completely. Jude blinked, expression turning curious. 

"Something?" Jude parroted, and Alvin just knew his mind was working through birthdays and holidays that a possible present could be given. 

"Yeah, uh..." Alvin began, cursing his own speech. He slipped one hand in his pocket, grabbing for the box, but stopped before he could pull it out. With the arm still wrapped around Jude, he squeezed just a bit. "I know I tend to.. not be around as often as I'd like. So, it's something to keep when I'm away."

Jude stared up at him, and Alvin took another breath and was about to pull out the box... when Jude dropped his gaze and looked away, bearing an expression that halted Alvin in his tracks. The boy looked... upset.

"Oh," Jude said softly. Alvin's eyes widened in panic when Jude suddenly looked back up at him, this time more resolved. "Does that mean I'm not going to see you for a long time?"

It took Alvin's panicked mind a few seconds to comprehend just how bad his wording was before he buried his face in Jude's hair.

"No.." Alvin sighed, pulling out the box while pulling back. "That's not what I meant. This."

Alvin held up the box. Jude's eyes narrowed in on the box, and his eyebrows furrowed. Alvin unwound his arm from Jude's body, stepping back just a bit to hold the box with both hands. He shakily opened the lid and watched as Jude's eyes widened and his lips parted.

"It's a promise ring! I just..." Alvin started, already lamenting on how badly he was fucking this up. It had gone so much better with Leia, snarky comebacks and all. "I know we're both really busy and our lives keep us apart more often than not. But I care about you, and I want you to know I'll always come back to you," Alvin said, biting his lip before muttering the last, "for as long as you'll have me."

Jude was still staring at the box as if transfixed. Alvin carefully watched his face, waiting for a sign of... well, anything. The silence was going to drive him mad.

"That's..." Jude started, and Alvin straightened up to attention. "That's Leia's handwriting, isn't it?"

Alvin was momentarily dumbfounded. When Jude pointed to the box, Alvin turned it around. A small scrap of paper was taped to the inside of the lid, bold black ink saying, "Will you marry me?"

Alvin felt his heart leapt to his throat as he choked out an unintelligible sound, followed by a blush burning his entire face.

"That..! She!" Alvin managed in distress. Soft laughter stopped him from his flailing. Jude's smile was broad and bright against the dreary gray background of the day. 

"This is really for me?" Jude asked, reaching up to take hold of the box. Alvin let him, watching as he carefully took the ring out and slid it on his ring finger. It fit snugly. Jude's gaze softened as he looked at it. "Thank you."

The building tension slowly seeped out of Alvin's shoulders. 

".. haaaah," Alvin sighed, running a hand through his hair. "That was the most nerve-wracking thing I've ever done in my life."

"We've fought powerful monsters and hopped in and out of other dimensions, and this was the most nerve-wracking thing?" Jude asked with a grin.

"You're very intimidating," Alvin replied dryly.

"You're lucky I love you, then," Jude said, taking hold of Alvin's jacket and tugging him down for another kiss. Something pulled in Alvin's chest. 

'It's something beyond luck,' Alvin thought, running his hand over the new metal on Jude's finger as he deepened their kiss. Jude pulled back, hot breath against Alvin's lips and eyes half-lidded. 

"It would have been a yes," Jude muttered. Before Alvin's foggy brain could catch up with the sentence, Jude was pulling him down the sidewalk. "Let's go home."


End file.
